Malema skips key Parliament hearings as gun conviction sentencing looms

EFF leader Julius Malema will not have the opportunity to fire questions at his namesake, suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi, or former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride this week.

Malema will be absent from Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee proceedings as he prepares for his pre-sentencing hearing at the East London Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Malema was convicted on October 1 on multiple gun-related charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public space, reckless endangerment, and failure to take reasonable precautions.

The conviction stems from an incident during the EFF’s July 2018 anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane, East London, where Malema was captured on camera discharging a rifle, which formed the basis of the charges against him.

He now faces the possibility of direct imprisonment when Magistrate Twanet Olivier delivers her sentencing ruling in the matter.

The Ad Hoc Committee is expected to hear testimony from McBride on Tuesday and Wednesday, while Mkhwanazi is scheduled to appear on Thursday and Friday.

The EFF confirmed on Monday that Malema would be absent from the committee’s proceedings for the week.

In a statement, the party dismissed the court’s ruling as politically motivated and irrational, and maintained that the case was driven by hostility toward the organisation rather than evidence.

The EFF urged the public to closely monitor the legal proceedings and cautioned against speculation regarding Malema’s absence from parliamentary duties.

EFF Deputy Secretary-General Leigh-Ann Mathys will represent the party during the committee’s engagements for the remainder of the week.

Meanwhile, Members of Parliament have called for forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan to appear before the committee, warning that non-compliance could lead to serious consequences

DAILY NEWS